Back To Back
by ninjas-and-hepburn
Summary: After their first encounter with Fungus Humongous, Casey and April walk home together and talk about their fears and the future of their world.


It was getting dark and they needed to get home. Sunshine no longer flooded from the holes in the sewer covers. Even in the depth of the lair, you could sense the change of time and mystery of the night. It was time to go. Instead of splitting up once hitting the surface, Casey thought it would be a good idea for him to walk April home. Her admirer believed otherwise.

"I don't think it's a good idea for someone in your condition to walk April home," Donnie exclaimed.

"What do you mean my condition? We were all exposed to the same thing. Besides, it's on my way home," Casey pointed out as he gathered his gear.

"Yeah Donnie. He can handle it," Raph said.

"And we don't have to go out of our way to assure her safety. April's with someone we can trust," Leo added.

"How many times do I have to tell you guys I can handle myself," April interjected as she entered the living room.

"In that case, is it still okay if I walk you home Red?

"Yeah Casey its fine."

The girl turned away with a hint of annoyance as the self-proclaimed vigilante followed. They had made it past the turnstiles before hearing Donatello's cry.

"You sure you don't need a turtle escort?!"

"Give it a rest," they heard Raph say and they made their way to an opening.

They made it to the manhole cover and April climbed up first. She helped him out and they proceeded to walk home.

"So Red you gonna be okay after the whole mushroom fiasco?"

"I guess."

They fell silent for a moment and Casey thought long and hard before he spoke again. He had been wanting to ask her since everyone's hallucinations had died, but he was scared of insulting her.

"If it's okay with you, can I ask you something?"

"Sure Casey."

"What is it you saw exactly?"

April braised herself.

"Bats. Lot of them."

"Bats?"

"Mostly my father."

"That's right. He turned into a bat."

"A mutant one at that."

"Did he try to attack you?"

"Not really. He just stared at me. Like he remembered me."

"Then why were you so scared?"

"Because the last real time I saw him he tried to attack me. So I thought he was eventually going to during the hallucination."

"That's tough."

There was a patch of peace, and then April decided to do a little investigating of her own.

"You said yours was rats?"

Casey shivered in disgust and replied, "Yeah."

"Why's that?"

"Something about them. It's just disgusting. They're filthy."

"I can't believe big bad Jones has a fear of rats."

"Don't knock it. They're creepy."

"What about Master Splinter?"

"Still warming up to him. At least he's clean."

April laughed and kept walking.

"What's so funny?"

Casey had stopped a few steps behind her next to an alley. The girl turned around with a smile.

"It's nothing its just-CASEY WATCH OUT!"

The red head pointed toward his feet so the boy automatically believed it to be a rodent similar to the ones they had just talked about. He jumped from toe to toe and turned so white that April couldn't tell if he had pulled his mask down.

"WHERE IS IT?! WHERE DID IT GO?!"

April laughed hysterically and almost fell to the ground at the boy's response.

"I'm sorry I couldn't resist!"

"Oh that's it O'Neil! You're gonna get it!"

He ran at her with playful ferocity and soon had her swung over his shoulder running up the street.

"CASEY PUT ME DOWN!"

"No chance Red. You earned this special escort with that rat trick. And we're still a couple blocks from your place."

"Casey," she yelled through laughter as the young boy continued to run down the streets of New York with her in tow. Her laughter also came from the fact that April was extremely ticklish where he was holding her. Casey began to laugh with her as he ran, not once gasping for breath. Once they made it to April's apartment steps, Casey paused as he stared at the stone steps.

"Alright you said you would put me down once we got here. Now do it."

"Hmm," Casey said playfully, "I don't know if I…want to."

The boy jerked her quickly which gave April a mini heart attack.

"I MEAN IT JONES PUT ME DOWN!"

There was still a hint of happiness in her voice, but it was a bit stern this time.

"Alright Red."

He bent down so that April could rest her feet on the first step and gently slide off of his shoulder. Even standing on the step, the girl was still slightly shorter than the boy. They both giggled as April tried to stand on her tiptoes to match Casey.

"Alright, I guess I'll leave you alone now."

The boy turned to walk away, but not before the girl interjected,

"Wait!"

He turned around to see her face in the same expression it had been when they left the sewer.

"Casey,"

"Yeah April?"

He approached her again and stood waiting to hear something different.

"Do you think that…. He'll ever come back?"

Not what he was expecting but worth hanging around for.

"Do you mean as a bat or as a human?"

"Either."

"Well he first has to come back as a bat before he can become human again. Unless there's a time limit on the mutagen."

April smiled as Casey reached for her hand. He held it up between them as to show her what it was.

"He will be back April. And he will be okay."

Her next smile wasn't as strong as the previous one but it was still genuine. A sudden shriek came from the nearby alley and sent April forward in horror. Casey obtained a good grip on her shoulders so he could push her into him, as if his chest were her safe haven. He could hear her manic panting and he let her pull herself together.

"April."

She didn't say anything but just looked up at him.

"We're a team. We'll fight back to back with each other and the turtles until your father is back to normal again. I promise."

She whimpered but ultimately nodded her head in response to his statement. Casey then pulled her back in to a hug; resting his large head on her small delicate one. She squeezed him then pulled back; surprising her friend with her strength.

"Promise," she asked.

He held up his pinky finger for her to take with her own. They swore on it.

"Promise."

After the oath, Casey grabbed her hand in a hand shake and lifted it up to his face with a wink. She smiled and let out a slight giggle before pulling her hand back.

"Good night Jones."

"Sleep tight Red."

The young girl left her friend on the steps to her apartment and on the edge of a new adventure. Casey lingered for a few moments, wanting to express all the emotions he was feeling at the moment.

"Wow," was all he could muster in admiration for the brave girl. He stared up to the fire escape and thought about all she'd gone through. "Yep," he said in assurance. "She's worth it."

* * *

**Post Fungus Humongous Capril Feels. Hope y'all like it and let me know what y'all think!**


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